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I still don't understand why one would get a MBA over...

surjavarman said:
You can not play games or web browse on the kindle. And downloaded pdf's are a disaster on any ereader. The e-ink might be superior for reading books and only books. But its the refresh rates that really kills the functionality. I could deal with the black and white but not with refresh rates. So its basically only cheaper than the ipad.
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If you think the Kindle's refresh rates are slow, you are wrong. My Kindle 3 refreshes very fast. In fact, pressing the next page button is almost instantaneous; you can continuously press it very fast and it keeps up. Since you can't read anywhere near as fast, when reading, it's instantaneous.

As far as the MacBook Air, specifically the 11" model, you are incorrect. Those points have been covered.
 
it's a minimalist's wet dream. I don't need that stuff that comes on a MBP so slimming it down for technological's sake is appealing to me.
 
Perfect for remote control 8 core mac

I use my laptop to connect to my office 8 core mac...
No need to carry around a large, heavy portable when I harness the power of my office cluster.....
 
entatlrg said:
The problem is you're ignorant to others needs or desires, that's all.

I void just about every point you make ... I'm a CEO of a company and an Industrial Designer. I employ a team of Engineers and do a lot of concept drawing, AI, PS through CAD and extremely heavy emailing .... literally 7 days a week, 18 hours a day I'm paying attention to it.

My tool of choice and the computer I use the most by FAR ... the 11" i7 MacBook Air :eek:

Yep, I can concept draw and work in CAD just fine, nothing is handier to pull out and efficiently and quickly reply to emails, research, surf, design, draw, even work in Excel.

My 11" works great anywhere. Some of my best idea's come when I'm not working in my office or at a desk. I prefer to be outside, working in the Great Room or Den of our house.

If necessary for finishing my drawings or detailed work I'll hook up to my 27" ACD for an hour or two. Otherwise I use my Air ALL the time everywhere ... I do that over using my Mac Pro in my office.

Right now I'm sitting in my backyard on the shores of Georgian Bay, running my company, doing design, problem solving, emailing and surfing MacRumors in between for a break.

No way I could do all that on an iPad, lol. And why do I need the footprint, size, weight, disc drive or power of the 15" MBP? The 15" MBP may be the Mercedes 500 or BMW 7 series of notebooks ... not everyone wants or needs that.

I prefer my cars sporty, quick and snappy ... just like my 11" i7 :D

The 11" Air is the best computer I ever owned. (I've used and buy all sizes Mac for my staff, 13" to 17" MBP's, iMac's and iPads too). Every person in my office who does not own an Air, lusts for one.
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Best post i have read in ages, I'm an architect tech and use the 11 exactly the same. I used to use revit but have moved back to archicad 15 on my 11 and have been surprised how easily i can work on it, i do have an iMac but giving that to the kids and today have ordered a 27 TB display for when i have more detailed CAD work to do
 
:) Thank god the dudes who make :apple: products are not like the dudes who use :apple: products, so far some of the posters in this particular thread are concerned.

Serious f*%@&% lack of ability to see anything but your own little needs...
 
surjavarman said:
Yep I regret it. And not a little bit either. Even though I always knew it would be a laptop that I would use for 1 year and then sell it.

The thing is is that I am not convinced with the MBA11 or 13 on one hand or the MBP15 on the other hand.
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Why do you have to be convinced of anything? Seems like you are struggling with the basic concept that people have different needs or preferences than you do (I'll give you the benefit of the doubt and assume you aren't just trolling for a reaction). If you are happy with a MBP, than that is great. Others are happy with various size MBAs. We are all lucky enough to have choices here.
 
richpjr said:
Why do you have to be convinced of anything? Seems like you are struggling with the basic concept that people have different needs or preferences than you do (I'll give you the benefit of the doubt and assume you aren't just trolling for a reaction). If you are happy with a MBP, than that is great. Others are happy with various size MBAs. We are all lucky enough to have choices here.
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Exactly. OP, go figure out your own issues. I personally don't care what computer you or anyone else outside of myself uses.
 
surjavarman said:
Some people want to use their laptops in bed and on the sofa. And thats not possible with a desktop. So you have to resort to laptops

Then some people are exclusively using their laptops for watching movies, reading websites and reading pdf's. A hi-res 15inch screen would annihilate anything else for that purpose yet still be reasonable portable. GUYS ITS NOT IMPOSSIBLE TO BRING YOUR 15INCHER TO SCHOOL OR WORK! The footprint of the 15inch is barely larger than that of the MBA13. So you only have consider the weight

If there was a MBA15 that is lighter than the MBP13 inch than it would ofcourse be another discussion.
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Ok, you're right: I'm returning my Air. :rolleyes:
 
I've never really understood why some people can't understand that people are different. To the OP the 15 inch MBP is just right for YOU. Be happy with your future purchase, and let others be happy with the purchases which are perfect for them.
 
the mb13/15can be your main computers. the airs aren't meant to be a main computer. they are meant to supplement people who want something lightweight for use when on the go. the hardware in the air can handle most daily tasks Facebook, email, youtube, etc. the only thing missing is a optical drive but i rarely use it and when i want to rip in some high res CD quality music, i can always dig out an external drive. i won't be using an optical drive when on the move. I can used movies that i've ripped or stream it.
 
Get $5k. Get a maxed out MBP 15 and a maxed out MBP 11. Get a monitor. Use Dropbox to store important files in the cloud so they can be used by both computers. There you go. :D

---

In all seriousness, the MBA 13 is an amazing machine whose only shortcoming (in my opinion) is the lack of a dedicated graphics card. I used to have a specced-out HP Envy 15 (HP's version of the MBP) with i7, 320 GB SSD, 1 GB ATI 5830 graphics card. It was a beast of a machine performance-wise at any task from rendering (graphics) to compiling (coding) to gaming. It was also a beast when it came to weight (around MBP 15's).

I ended up getting an iPad 1 for mobile computing which I have happily replaced with a MBA 13.

---

As many people have said, it does depend on your usage. Sure, the MBP 15 is portable enough to take from one workspace to another. However, when you want to carry it around everywhere and use it at small places or places without hard surfaces, then it becomes a chore rather than a convenience.

I think if you have the money and have the needs (gaming + portability), an iMac/MBA or MBP/MBA combo is really valid. Personally, I'd want an iMac/MBA combo, but since I'm saving money, I use my HP laptop for gaming & the MBA for everything else.
 
wywern209 said:
the airs aren't meant to be a main computer.
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check your calendar. it's 2011.


surjavarman said:
I still don't understand why one would get a MBA of any kind (especially the 11 inch).
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i know, right?!

i mean, a 15 MBP + ipad is totally cheaper than a MBA.

... wait, i mean, a 13 MBP + ipad is cheaper than a MBA.

... wait, ... um.

okay, well, anyways, an ipad for travel is the SAME as a MBA since it's NOT a computer.

... wait, ... well, a 15 MBP is fine for travel since its almost 6 pounds as opposed to less than 3 pounds for an MBA that does everything a large majority of users want, for much less price, with SSDs, and better stock resolutions.

... wait, um, ... have i even read the specs on these machines???
 
surjavarman said:
Well you guys make a big mistake about one thing. There is no 15 inch MBA.

So there is still a reason to go for a MBP15 other than power. In fact the hi-res 15inch screen is the main reason to go for it over a MBA11. It's about the real estate and the increased productivity that comes with it. Being more powerful and expendable is just an extra bonus.


Now a hi-res 15 inch MBA would be a different story and worth considering over a MBP15. So yeah even if you the MBA11 is enough for your demands you're not getting the MBP15 for its power. You're getting it because its 15 inch. I doubt that anyone would need more than a C2D. Only gamers would need more. The majority are just using computers for facebook, webbrowsing and watching movies.



I had a thinkpad thats lighter than the MBA13 as well as a sony vaio that had the same footprint and weight as the MBA11. So yeah I know this segment of laptops better than anyone else. And ofcourse I took all of the MB's for a test drive at an apple store.

And well if you needed a laptop now and have plenty of money to spent and you are not satisfied with the current lineup yet just cannot wait one more year then the choice is easily made. In fact I could even go for a MBA11+MBP15 instead of an ipad+MBP15 if I wanted to. I have the resources to do that but I don't want to. Ideally I don't even want to throw in the ipad, I just want one laptop that does it ALL and doesn't have to sacrifice anything at all.
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So a MBA 13 wouldn't make sense over a MBP 13 because the MBA 13 is barely lighter/more portable than a MBP 13 (according to your earlier posts), and yet a MBA 15 would make sense over a MBP 15 even though the same (ridiculous) "barely lighter/more portable" argument could still apply. :confused:

That's certainly a reasonable and objective point of view. :rolleyes:
 
nebulos said:
check your calendar. it's 2011.




i know, right?!

i mean, a 15 MBP + ipad is totally cheaper than a MBA.

... wait, i mean, a 13 MBP + ipad is cheaper than a MBA.

... wait, ... um.

okay, well, anyways, an ipad for travel is the SAME as a MBA since it's NOT a computer.

... wait, ... well, a 15 MBP is fine for travel since its almost 6 pounds as opposed to less than 3 pounds for an MBA that does everything a large majority of users want, for much less price, with SSDs, and better stock resolutions.

... wait, um, ... have i even read the specs on these machines???
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Well said. Point proven very nicely. ;)
 
ABernardoJr said:
So a MBA 13 wouldn't make sense over a MBP 13 because the MBA 13 is barely lighter/more portable than a MBP 13 (according to your earlier posts), and yet a MBA 15 would make sense over a MBP 15 even though the same (ridiculous) "barely lighter/more portable" argument could still apply. :confused:

That's certainly a reasonable and objective point of view. :rolleyes:
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But don't you understand? He had a Lenovo ultraportable and a Sony Vaio, so he is qualified to make the determination that all of use who bought the 11" or 13" MacBook Air are wrong and should have waited for the 15" MacBook Air that will be Tim Cook's "just one more thing" this fall because it's just as portable and has a better screen. :rolleyes:
 
In my opinion, MBP = FAT CHICK; MBA = SKINNY CHICK. I prefer skinny chick, but I think I know what you like. :D
 
I have a MBP 15" 2011 connected to an apple cinema display 30" at home. It is a desktop replacement. My on-the-go machine is the macbook air 11". This set up works very well for me. Dropbox keeps files in sync between both machines. Best of both worlds.
 
OK, I'll bite...

Some days I spend most of my time in meetings at which I take notes with Evernote. I used my iPad for a while, but typing more than just a sentence or two at a time wasn't very efficient. I found myself spending so much time making corrections that I couldn't concentrate on what other people were saying.

Enter the 11" MBA. It's perfect for note taking, and it's very easy to carry around. I even keep it with me around the house to check emails, surf, and write. For me, the best laptop I've ever owned. YMMV.
 
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wywern209 said:
the mb13/15can be your main computers. the airs aren't meant to be a main computer. they are meant to supplement people who want something lightweight for use when on the go. the hardware in the air can handle most daily tasks Facebook, email, youtube, etc. the only thing missing is a optical drive but i rarely use it and when i want to rip in some high res CD quality music, i can always dig out an external drive. i won't be using an optical drive when on the move. I can used movies that i've ripped or stream it.
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Mm... the MBA can be used as a main computer if one's needs will suffice; the only problem I have with it is the limitation to 4 gigs of RAM.

And the processor+graphics card combo. I think it's priced a tad too high for what it offers.
 
The MBA is a lovely product, but still hampered by the cost of SSD technology.
It doesn't suit my needs as I'm a GB-hungry user but I'm convinced it won't take long before terabyte SSD's come up at a reasonable cost. I hope it will be the case when the time comes for me to replace my 2009 MBP 13"; in 2013/2014.
 
surjavarman said:
I am going to get flamed for this. But I still don't understand why one would get a MBA of any kind (especially the 11 inch).

I am trying to think of a situation where one would use a MBA over a MBP15 or even the MBP13. Now I myself made the mistake of getting the MBP13 myself. Though it wasn't really a mistake cause I was expecting a redesign next year but I needed a laptop now so I went for the cheapest offering with the intention of selling it next year for a redesigned fully loaded MBP15.


One reason to get the MBA11/13 is portability. But why wouldn't you just get an ipad AND a MBP15. You wouldn't bring the the MBA13 with you every time anyway unlike the ipad and you can't just flash it in public as easily as an ipad so its function is limited to doing pure computer related stuff. Plus for the occasions that you do bring it with you, how much of a hassle for that rare occasion is it to bring the MBP15 with you. For home situation its really a no brainer too. Moving the MBP15 from your desk to the toilet to the bed is just as easy as moving the MBA11/13.
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I have a huge desktop tower to use as my main Mac.

So why would I want a larger laptop or "desktop replacement" device when I can get an ultraportable?
 
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